the Creeping Crud has found me!

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Oh, lord, I barely made it back from trash picking and shopping today! It was SO cold out there, my cheeks were numb by the time I got to the store!

I walked VERY slowly and deliberately. Couldn't risk a pulled muscle or a wrenched joint in this cold!

I found the cutest, black, wire bird cage. I found a good-as-new garden hose, to replace my patched, taped, hose-clamped, drippy, squirty mess. I found a sock doll with watermelon seed eyes, straw hair, and a heart-button mouth. I found a stuffed, pink pig. I found shelf brackets for my bedroom window shelf I want to build for more indoor vegetables. I found a foot-long, Philips head drill bit. I found a tire iron, small enough to carry as a weapon. I found a brand-new, black canvas bag for groceries. I found a new telephone cord, thank gawd; my other one's spliced together in three places!

And I found something poor, ol' Porkchop really needed: a new choke chain. His old one is so small, I almost pulled his ears off, taking it off his head! The new one is larger links, too. The old one was pinching all the hairs off his neck!

I found a midnight blue, velvet dress with white satin collar and cuffs. I found a flower-printed, black chiffon skirt. I found 2 wool cardigans: black and grey.

I found a bamboo box: strips of bamboo, basket woven, in the shape of a small treasure chest.

By the time I got everything put away and the cats fed, I was shaking, I was so tired and weak.

I lay down for awhile. I realized that, when I blink, my eyelids feel hot on my eyes. That means a fever, and a bad one.

So, although all I wanted to do was sleep, I hustled into the kitchen.

I made a big pot of turkey soup.

I chopped together: 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 giant sweet onion, the heart of a stalk of celery. I threw them in the water pot.

I tossed in a can of chicken broth, chili pepper flakes, parsley, black pepper, sage and tumeric.

When that came to a boil, I added rice.

I chopped up the last of the turkey and threw it in, along with the container of gelatin/broth/pot scrapings.

I have several cans of vegetables I found in the dumpster. I added a can of bamboo shoots, with the canning juice. I drained off the juice from a can of whole, kernel corn and a can of baby peas and gave the juice to the dog. That's an easy way to feed animals some extra vitamins; why pour it down the sink?

I'm not adding the peas until the rice is done; I hate mushy peas. Canned peas are bad enough, anyway. I don't buy them' frozen tastes better, if I can't get or grow fresh. When I have a can, I save it for a meal where I can hide it, like meatloaf or soup. But these are a "gourmet," organic brand. I ate one out of the can. It's not too grainy or pasty, and it's still sweet. But they'll go in last, right when it's time to turn off the heat.

It's all simmering on the stove as I write. I made about a gallon and a half.

The dirty dishes are soaking in hot water to wash later.

I'm very sick. I took aspirin. I filled my water filter. I have plenty of tea bags, honey, oranges, apples. I have sodas.

I hope I don't have this flu. I hope it's just a cold. But even colds, with me, turn into bronchitis and pneumonia easily.

There's a lot of physical work I can't, and want to, do: house cleaning, laundry, etc. I'd like to walk to Stadium grocery (apx. four miles, round trip) for cheap dog food tomorrow. But I don't know.

Today, I'm just resting.

But it feels like a "whopper" is coming. I'm glad I made myself cook that soup! In an hour or so, I'm going to be pitiful.

BTW: MSNTV SpellCheck doesn't recognize: tumeric, dumpster or meatloaf!